The Los Angeles Angels don’t appear to have a definitive answer yet about what they are going to be in 2024. New manager hire Ron Washington — a coach with a history of winning — suggests the Halos are going to try and contend for the postseason. However, allowing Shohei Ohtani to walk and not yet securing any major free agent or trade targets could leave them in a position where rebuilding is the best choice.
Based solely on the language coming from Washington and the Angels organization, L.A. is going to try and win this season even after losing their two-way phenom to the cross-town rival L.A. Dodgers. Washington rejected the idea that the Angels could be rebuilding before going into his focus for 2024.
Washington is not looking too far ahead, but he knows for sure that the Angels are going to put the best product on the field as possible, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com:
“There ain’t no rebuild here,” Washington said. “I’m not thinking about the division right now. I’m thinking about preparation, getting prepared for a season. Once we get prepared and ready for the season, I’m ready for whatever comes in front of us. My players will be ready for whatever comes in front of us. That’s the attitude you’ve got to have in the game of baseball, and then you take it a day at a time.”
The Angels by no means have a bad roster on paper. They are still home to a perennial All-Star in Mike Trout, several quality young arms in the starting rotation and the bullpen, and a few intriguing offensive pieces like Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak and the injury-plagued Anthony Rendon.
The problem with the Angels is not talent, but rather the wide variance of outcomes for their talented players. If Trout and Rendon stay healthy; if Rengifo, Ward and Moniak prove 2022 and 2023 weren’t flukes; and if Patrick Sandoval and Reid Detmers return to 2022 form instead of 2023, then the Angels could legitimately be in the postseason hunt.
But it’s been a long time since everything has broken the Angels way. And it seems Washington believes he’s the right man for the task of turning around the Angels.
Angels sign Zach Plesac
The Angels reportedly agreed to terms on a Major League contract with right-handed pitcher Zach Plesac. He was, at one time, an intriguing young prospect that had remarkable showings in 2020 and 2021. He has since fallen on hard times with his production, leading to the Cleveland Guardians parting ways with him in his final arbitration season.
